DATE=1/31/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=ISRAEL / LEBANON (L)
NUMBER=2-258629
BYLINE=MEREDITH BUEL
DATELINE=JERUSALEM
CONTENT=
VOICE AT:
INTRO: Hezbollah guerrillas have killed three Israeli
soldiers and wounded at least four others in an attack
in southern Lebanon. V-O-A Correspondent Meredith
Buel in Jerusalem reports Israeli warplanes are
launching raids in retaliation for the attack.
TEXT: The Israeli soldiers were attacked near
Beaufort Castle, a Crusader-era mountaintop outpost in
Israel's self-styled security zone in southern
Lebanon. The guerrillas ambushed the soldiers with
automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades.
A spokesman for the Israeli army confirmed heavy
fighting in the area, but had no immediate comment on
casualties.
The attack occurred one day after Iranian-backed
Hezbollah guerrillas killed a senior commander of the
South Lebanon Army (S-L-A) -- a militia trained and
armed by Israel.
Colonel Akl Hashem was killed by a bomb placed outside
his house in the Israeli-occupied zone in southern
Lebanon.
Colonel Hashem, who had survived several previous
assassination attempts, was Deputy Commander of the S-
L-A militia. S-L-A fighters patrol the security zone,
which Israel says is necessary to protect its northern
border from guerrilla attacks.
Israeli warplanes and helicopter gunships are pounding
guerrilla targets in retaliation for the latest
attacks.
Hezbollah has been fighting a war of attrition against
Israel and the S-L-A militia. The group emerged in
the mid-1980's after Israel invaded Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has promised to
withdraw all Israeli soldiers from southern Lebanon by
July.
Israel's minister for public security, Shlomo Ben-Ami,
says he hopes tensions will not escalate.
/// BEN-AMI ACT ///
As a whole I am not sure that escalation is in
the best interests of any of the parties in this
conflict. My first reaction would be that we
should try to minimize the potential for
escalation.
/// END ACT ///
Communications Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer says
Israel must respond with force to the Hezbollah
attacks.
/// BEN-ELIEZER ACT ///
I think they are putting us in a corner and we
do not have any other choice other than to hit
back.
/// END ACT ///
Israeli officials have said rising hostilities in
Lebanon may undermine chances for peace with Syria,
the main power broker in Lebanon.
Peace talks between Israel and Syria are currently
suspended.
During a briefing for reporters in Jerusalem, a senior
U-S diplomat who asked not to be identified, expressed
concern about the renewed fighting in southern
Lebanon. The U-S diplomat said the hostilities could
damage the peace process. (Signed)
NEB/MB/JWH/KL
31-Jan-2000 11:32 AM EDT (31-Jan-2000 1632 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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